While shipping regulations for trucks and truck drivers are federally controlled, drivers still often must stop at weigh stations immediately, or soon after, crossing a state line. States generally won’t have different regulations, but they might require authorization and, if nothing else, trucks must be weighed and sometimes inspected, and Hours of Service log books will get checked.

There are dozens of reasons that a delivery route may need to change: a new retail outlet just off the standard route, a new distribution center in a different location, an influx of new drivers. Logistics is about making the most of the time you have, and being as efficient as possible. For delivery routes, a key component of efficiency is understanding the delivery route thoroughly, and doing plenty of research before you send your driver on the first trip.

With any type of logistics planning you come across in your business—whether working completely through a 3PL or beginning to take on responsibilities for yourself—you’ll face questions like this one about how to divvy up who will be accountable for what. But weighing such an idea as owning and operating your own truck fleet can be one of the most important decisions you make.

Giorgio Guglielmi is the Vice President of Store Delivery for MKM. He mitigates truck breakdowns and delays, and ensures drivers are professional and punctual. On top of that, his main concern is getting the job done for the customer—no matter what it takes. He began his over ten-year relationship with MKM in the warehouse where he learned the importance of getting trucks loaded, on the road, and to their destination without hiccup or delay.

The trucking industry has changed over the last couple years due to massive layoffs, a lack of available drivers, and a shift from long routes to more local routes. With these changes, retailers are seeing changes in the way drivers operate and how they conduct business. Now, more is expected from drivers, they play a larger role in B2B and B2C, and new regulations are in place that might affect their delivery. Here’s a run-down of how these changes affect drivers and what you should expect.

There is a reported shortage of 30,000 drivers in the United States today, and with an influx in ecommerce and mobile purchasing, the need for reliable, young truck drivers is growing. Fact is, the idea of a “truck driver” is changing, and as more and more young people go to college rather than trade school, they fail to realize how lucrative and reliable a truck-driving job can be.